


Dysfunction Runs Deep

by katesibuna



Category: House of Anubis
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-08
Updated: 2021-03-08
Packaged: 2021-03-14 17:33:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,117
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29920377
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/katesibuna/pseuds/katesibuna
Summary: Jerome and Eddie bond over their absentee fathers, following the announcement at school that Mr Sweet is Eddie’s Dad
Relationships: Eddie Miller/Jerome Clarke, Jerome Clarke/Eddie Miller
Comments: 2
Kudos: 5





	Dysfunction Runs Deep

**Author's Note:**

  * For [victorselixir](https://archiveofourown.org/users/victorselixir/gifts).



> For the actual Jereddie, Ella and Patrycja <3
> 
> (This is the first thing I’ve published since Christmas Ever I’m so nervous)   
> Hope you like it :)

It had been an eventful day at Amun academy, the whole school was in a buzz of shock upon learning the new American boy, Eddie Miller, was actually Edison Sweet- son of the headmaster. His girlfriend, Patricia had outed his so called secret identity to the school. Everyone had been talking about it since, even when headmaster Mr Sweet had tried to usher them all back to class. 

Eddie gave off the impression that he was a cool guy, popular and the guy all the girls wanted. And that’s how everyone in Amun Academy had viewed him. But after the revelation of his true identity, the majority of the school wanted nothing to do with him. Hanging around with the headmaster’s son was social suicide and nobody wanted to take that kind of hit. Some did feel sorry for him, but not enough to jeopardise their own reputation, they had to save themselves.

What made the situation worse, was the fact the news had come from his girlfriend- Patricia. Sure, she had accidentally sat on the intercom button but it appeared cruel. Eddie felt alone, he was very aware of the repercussions of her actions. It had been the reason he had wanted to keep who his father was a secret, but that choice had been snatched from him. 

He was stuck in a school where nobody talked to him, only Patricia with weak attempts at apologies. His heart sank because he finally felt that the two had gotten to a good place. Maybe they had but the price he had to pay for that was catastrophic. Everyone was laughing at him, he only noticed two people not laughing- Patricia and Jerome. 

Jerome Clarke didn’t laugh, he feared that some day soon it would be him they all sneered and made snide comments about. Jerome’s father was in prison, which in his opinion was a lot worse than his father being the headmaster. He saw how they reacted to the news of Eddie’s father, how would they react to his? Would he be as alone as Eddie is? Worse…? He supposed he would be okay, Mara knew who his father was. He saw how his best friend, Alfie, laughing and making fun of Eddie after the big reveal and found himself panicking about how he would be when his father was revealed. 

Jerome Clarke didn’t laugh at Eddie Miller that day, he spent the rest of the school day and that evening thinking about what Eddie must be going through. He must have a troubled relationship with his Dad in the first place if he only came to the UK that year, Jerome understood that. Jerome didn’t know anyone else who understood that. 

Jerome had been sent to boarding school at 5 years old and by that time his father was already gone. Sure, he was in prison, but Jerome didn’t know that for over 10 years. Just because he knew now didn’t erase the pain he felt that his own father chose to leave him, the pit in his stomach that told him he was not good enough. He didn’t understand where his father had gone and he never really would. Prison or not, his father wasn’t there. He chose to commit whatever crime over staying with his family. Jerome didn’t even know what he was in prison for. 

He imagined Eddie’s situation to be somewhat similar, seeing as an ocean divided the two. 

Eddie Miller spent that night fighting back tears. This was a mess. Nobody would talk to him now, he knew it had only been one day but he also knew that that wouldn’t change. Nobody understood the embarrassment and they all thought the big revelation to be humorous. He had grown to consider some of those people friends and they were laughing at him. Was Patricia laughing at him? 

His girl had said sitting on the button of the loudspeaker was an accident, but he wasn’t entirely convinced. If you asked anyone at Amun academy, they’d tell you that Patricia Williamson was big on revenge, so it would make perfect sense if that was her getting even for his accidental kissing of her twin sister Piper. He desperately wanted to believe her, though. He wanted nothing more than go to her but he couldn’t risk it on the chance it was deliberate.

He sat staring straight at the wall, feeling dazed. He didn’t hear the knock on the door and remained staring forward. 

“Hey.” Jerome chimed, causing Eddie to jump out of his skin, “sorry I didn’t mean to scare you.”

“Oh don’t worry about it. What’s up?” Eddie asked, confusion lacing his face and voice. 

“I Uh just wanted to see how you are.” Jerome muttered, met by an eyebrow raise from Eddie, “I’m not all bad.” Jerome went on to say. 

“I’m okay? Minus the whole school knowing that my Dad is the fucking Headmaster. I want to crawl in a hole and die.” Eddie sighed. 

Jerome nodded, closing the bedroom door and venturing further into the room. He made his way to Fabian’s bed and sat there, somewhat uncomfortably. He had never really been in this bedroom like this before. He wasn’t close with Fabian and he definitely had been the furthest thing from close with Mick, the two actively disliked each other. Jerome only really had Alfie and now Mara, so there was never really any need to be in the other boys’ bedroom until now, he had been in to swap Mick’s clothing for Amber’s and to get help from Fabian that dreadful night in which Alfie got trapped in the basement. 

Jerome had never been a comforter, ever. But, in this situation he felt a strange need to make Eddie feel better, very aware that one day this could be him and he would want someone to make him feel better. 

“I mean, it could be worse. I guess.” Jerome tried. 

“What could be worse than everyone talking crap about me for being the son of the head?” 

Jerome’s mind briefly fluttered to the previous year, and the teacher’s involvement in Victor’s cult and trying to get the Cup of Ankh. He knew that Eddie would think that to be worse, if he knew his Father’s nighttime hobbies. He was sure Eddie had to be oblivious to all of the schools’ odd and creepy dealings. But then again, he was dating Patricia a core member of the Scooby gang, fighting the crimes of the teachers. 

“He could be some evil guy. Uh, sure Sweetie is a bit, how shall I put it? Odd? But I don’t think he’s a bad guy.” Jerome took that route, deciding he didn’t have the energy to explain the year before. 

“He’s an abandoning asshole. He’s not my father- he’s a sperm donor.” Eddie and his Dad had begun to break the ice in their relationship, but that thought clawed at him still. No matter what happened and if they fixed things- he had still left him and his mother. Eddie still grew up without a Father and that fact would never change. 

“Oh I know all about that, trust me.” Jerome said back. It came out of his mouth so quickly, before he even realised. He hadn’t meant to say it out loud but he couldn’t take it back.

“You do?” Eddie quizzed. 

“Yeah. My Dad left us. When Poppy was just a baby. I got in contact with him again, it’s been nice talking to him but I can’t seem to let all of that go.” 

Eddie nodded. The two had a lot more in common than they had realised. 

“It’s nice that someone understands it. I talk to Patricia sometimes but she doesn’t really get it. Besides, she’s the one who told everyone.” 

Jerome sighed, “Patricia might not have it exactly the same as us, but she does kind of get it. Her relationship with her parents is strained to say the least, but she doesn’t really talk about it. As for her telling everyone about your Dad, I’ve known Trix a long time. Had she done it on purpose she would be bragging about it right now.” 

“Whatever. On purpose or not she still did it.” 

Jerome opened his mouth to defend her, unsure of why he was doing so. The two of them seemed to make each other happy and while he and Patricia were often bickering, he knew she had been through a lot- she deserved some happiness. They had the type of relationship Jerome wanted, the pranks, the teasing and the hugs. The house had always thought he and Patricia would have been perfect together before Eddie’s arrival, but Jerome had never seen her like that and she had never seen him like that. He decided against saying anything else, Incase he gave Eddie the wrong idea and he knew his mind was made up for now. 

“My Dad is in prison.” Jerome finally broke the silence. 

Eddie’s head shot up, at lightening speed, “Did he, Uh, kill someone?” Eddie asked. 

“No. He didn’t.” Jerome wasn’t sure of the crime his father committed but he was sure that he had not harmed anyone else. 

Eddie didn’t really know what to say, this was only the third conversation he and Jerome had had that was longer than thirty seconds. Eddie, just like Jerome, wasn’t good at the whole comforting thing. 

“Our Dads are a couple of winners, huh?” Eddie said, hoping Jerome wouldn’t be offended. 

Jerome burst out in a fit of laughter at the directness of the comment, it was something he would say. Eddie joined in the laughter until all that could be heard was the sound of the two cackling about their dysfunctional relationships with their Dads. 

After the laughter eventually died down Jerome paused before speaking, “You’re not alone, you know? I got your back. I know they’re all being pricks. I probably would be being too, if I didn’t have a father who’s occupation I’m keeping a secret.” 

Eddie smiled lightly, “You’re not either. I wouldn’t judge you because your Dad is a criminal.” 

“It sucks that people do judge you over something you have fuck all control over. Yeah, the dysfunction runs deep, but just because my Dad is inside doesn’t mean that he’s some awful person, you know? He definitely has his bad qualities and I don’t know if we will ever truly recover from him leaving and growing up without him. But he is trying.”   
“My dysfunction definitely runs deep too. I do want my relationship with my Dad to get better but every time it does, I freak out and remind myself of how lost I was all of those years after he left. I used to write him letters- and sit waiting for a response. Until I no longer wanted one and put all my energy into hating him. And now it’s sort of melting away and I don’t know if I want it too” Eddie replied. 

Jerome nodded understanding entirely what he meant. They were very similar, two people growing up without a father and who are dysfunctional because of it. Two people trying to hold onto resentment and not really understanding why. Two people who are very fond of self-sabotaging. Two people who got each other. 

“Yeah I get that. It fucking sucks.” Jerome sighed to which Eddie nodded. 

The two sat in silence for a few minutes, Jerome saw that as his cue to leave and got up and walked to the door. 

“Hey, Jerry?” Eddie blurted out. 

“Yeah, Miller?” 

“Do you want to play video games and maybe make some pancakes?” Eddie suggested. 

“Yeah, let’s do it.” 

The two made pancakes together, occasionally chucking flour at each other. They left the kitchen in a huge mess but they would worry about that later. Jerome became the second person in the UK that Eddie had made his special pancakes for. He made sure to get him sticky and covered in syrup, though. 

They played video games until curfew, talking about anything and everything. The two were shocked at the amount they had in common. They both were smart with remarks, sneaky when needed and had amazing taste in music. Although, Eddie dressed more to his taste in music than Jerome did.

Jerome and Eddie decided to make this a regular thing, they enjoyed spending time together, they could talk about whatever, complicated or fun. Something the two needed.. 

The dysfunction in them both runs deep, but they were just two people trying to find their way in the World and now that they had someone who understood, things might just get easier.


End file.
